HARTFORD — A former Clinton man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to hire someone to kill his ex-wife, federal authorities said Thursday.

James Erik Godiksen, 57, was convicted of one count murder for hire in July 2018, the United States Attorney’s office for the state of Connecticut said.

While he was incarcerated in New Haven in 2016, Godiksen “reached out to other inmates seeking a person who would be willing to kill” his ex-wife, authorities said.

In September of that year, Godiksen spoke with an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, authorities said, and gave the agent a description of his wife, along with her phone number and address.

He offered the agent $5,000 for the hit, authorities said.

The former Clinton resident reportedly told the agent “if you go to the (ex-wife’s) house, do not touch the dog,” the Connecticut Post reported after his trial. He also told the agent “I want her killed, if that’s possible . . . Head cut off would be nice.”

Godiksen was arrested Sept. 14, 2016, after giving the agent $80 as a “down payment” for the killing. Authorities said he also offered additional money if the agent were to kill his former wife’s boyfriend.

He also faces a $10,000 fine, and three years supervised release after his sentence is complete, authorities said.

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